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BIDDEFORD, Maine

UNE advocates provide testimony on chronic pain, opioid medication and prescribing limits

UNE advocates provide testimony on chronic pain, opioid medication and prescribing limits

A group of advocates from the University of New England traveled to Augusta to provide testimony at the Maine State House on new legislation being proposed around opioid prescribing limits. 

The group included Health, Wellness and Occupational Studies student Morgan Mitchell '17, Master of Science in Occupational Therapy student Leslie Bardin '17, Project Coordinator for the Coastal Healthy Communities Coalition Matthew Braun and advocate with the Southern Maine Chronic Pain Support Group advocate Ernie Meritt, who collaborates with the Center for Excellence in the Neurosciences.

The bill, “LD 1031: An Act To Establish Reasonable and Clinically Appropriate Exceptions to Opioid Medication and Prescribing Limits,” is being considered by the Maine Joint Committee on Health and Human Services. UNE staff and students' testimony addressed the topic of opioid prescribing limits while also emphasizing the need to support individuals experiencing chronic pain.

To learn more about the University of New England’s Westbrook College of Health Professions visit www.une.edu/wchp

To learn more about UNE’s Coastal Healthy Communities Coalition, visit: www.une.edu/chcc

To learn more about the University of New England’s Center for Excellence in the Neurosciences, visit www.une.edu/research/cen

About the University of New England

The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.